Stand on the stone bridge at Nanchang Street in the early evening, when the canal water below you turns the colour of weak tea and the shopfronts on both banks switch on their lanterns one by one. That stretch of the old water town is the image most visitors carry home from Wuxi, and it costs nothing to walk it.
Wuxi suits travellers who are already in the Yangtze delta and want a day or two of gardens, lake views and canal-side streets without the scale of Shanghai or the crowds of Suzhou. It also works well for families, since the zoo, the theme parks and the snow and sea attractions sit close together in Binhu District.
This guide covers the sights and experiences the sources describe, ordered with the strongest first, followed by a one-day plan and answers to the questions travellers ask most often.
Top things to do in Wuxi
1. Nanchang Street
Nanchang Street is the best-preserved stretch of the traditional canal water town style in the city, running along the ancient canal at Qing Ming Bridge in Liangxi District. The scenic area is free of charge all year round, though some of the amusement programmes inside carry a fee, and lockers can be rented within the area.
Come in the late afternoon and stay into the evening, when the light on the water is at its best. It is open around the clock, so it also works as a first stop if you arrive in Wuxi after dark.
2. Grand Buddha at Ling Shan
The main attraction of Lingshan is the Grand Buddha, one of China's largest Buddha statues at over 80 metres tall. The wider Lingshan area was built only in 2008, so there is no history to find here; instead you get a musical fountain that plays out the story of the birth of the Buddha and the Brahma palace, a grand hall with pillars made of sandalwood, built to host the 2009 Buddhist conference.
A standard ticket is ¥210 and excludes the electric buses. There is a show in one of the temples, and you should receive a free ticket for it when you buy the park fee, though possibly not in peak season; it runs only about 20 minutes and is partly video, so it is not worth paying extra for if it did not come with your entrance ticket.
3. Turtle Head Island (Yuantouzhu)
Turtle Head Island is a peninsula on the northwest coast of Taihu Lake. Because the boulder is surrounded by water on three sides it takes its name from a turtle's head, and the garden here was built using the real mountains and waters, three parts artificial and seven parts natural. It is the most rewarding place in the city for looking out over Lake Tai.
It is a good spot for cherry blossoms in spring, which bloom from early March to April. Entry is ¥85 and the site is open from 08:00 to 16:30, so give it a half day rather than squeezing it in at the end of an afternoon.
4. Xihui Park and Old Town
Xihui Park and Old Town combines an old town pedestrian street lined with souvenir and snack shops with a cluster of gardens and temples. The main ticket covers those gardens and temples, including the Garden of Ecstasy (Ji Chang Yuan), one of the leading gardens in southeast China; Emperor Qianlong made seven visits and had a copy of the garden made at the Summer Palace in Beijing. The same ticket also covers the nearby park, which is rather large if you take the time to travel around the hill.
The pedestrian street itself is free, while the individual residences cost extra, perhaps ¥10 each. You can pay extra for the cable car, possibly available as part of a combined ticket, to reach the pagoda at the top of the hill. Xihui Park holds the Wuxi Flower - Rhododendron Festival exhibition from April to June every year, with the opening ceremony in Jiulongbi Square.
5. Wuxi Huishan Ancient Town Scenic Area
This historic cultural district sits at the eastern foot of Huishan Mountain in Liangxi District and features traditional streets, historic architecture, ancestral halls and cultural heritage sites. Admission is free.
It is easy to reach: Huishan Ancient Town Station on Metro Line 4, Exit 6, is roughly a 50-metre walk from the main entrance, about two minutes on foot. Bus routes 15, 75, 83, 216 and 611 stop at Longguang Road (Guhuashan Road). Opening hours run 08:00–17:00 Monday to Friday with last admission at 17:00, and 08:00–17:30 at weekends with last admission at 17:30.
6. Huishan Ancient Town - Yuchangyuan
Yuchangyuan is the paid garden within the Huishan Ancient Town area, at No. 18 Baoshan Street in Liangxi District. It is described as great for going out in all seasons, with flowers to enjoy inside including azaleas, begonias and green cherry blossoms.
Entry is ¥65 and it is open daily from 08:00 to 16:30. There is a paid parking lot inside costing about ¥10 to 15 each time. Combine it with the free streets of the ancient town around it.
7. Donglin Academy
The Donglin Academy is a well-preserved site showing Ming and Qing Dynasty architecture, with gardens and the classrooms of a famous school that prepared its students for the state exam. Attractions within it include a stone arch, a pool, the Donglin monastery, Lize Hall, Yong Tang, Oscillation Temple, a promenade, Road South Temple and Donglin Temple.
If you are in the neighbourhood it is worth the ¥5 entrance fee. It is a small, quiet stop rather than a half-day outing, so pair it with something else in the same part of the city.
8. Wuxi Museum
Wuxi Museum is at 100 Zhongshu Road in Liangxi District. It is free to enter and closed on Mondays, opening Tuesday to Sunday from 09:00 to 17:00 with no entry after 16:00.
Take a metro train to Qingmingqiao Station on Line 1, or bus no. 67. Because it is free and central, it makes a sensible wet-weather or arrival-day stop.
9. Nianhua Bay
Nianhua Bay is a themed town scenic area with Zen as its main theme, located to the west of the Ling Shan Scenic Area. It is open daily from 09:00 to 22:00, so it is one of the few sights in the city you can visit after dinner.
Entry is ¥140. To get there, take the Le You Line 2 for five stops to Nianhua Bay Station. It pairs naturally with the Grand Buddha at Ling Shan, which is next door.
10. Lake Tai
Lake Tai is a very large lake with many scenic spots, known for its fish and freshwater pearls. There is nothing in particular to visit as a single sight, but the lake is the setting for Lingshan and for Turtle Head Island.
Treat it as scenery rather than a destination in itself, and see it from one of the peninsula or hillside viewpoints rather than trying to tour the shoreline.
11. Jin Gui Park
Jin Gui Park covers about 48 hectares, making it one of the largest parks in the city. It sits at the intersection of Gonghu Avenue and Gaolang West Road in Binhu District.
Every spring, especially from March to April, it becomes an ideal spot for flower viewing, drawing visitors to see the blooming cherry blossoms and tulips. Go on a weekday morning if you want space to yourself.
12. Three Kingdoms City Water Margin Scenic Spot
This is a large-scale film and television shooting and tourism base, with natural scenery, large-scale human landscape and full film and television service functions. Tickets are ¥90 for the Three Kingdoms City, ¥85 for the Water Margin City, and ¥150 for the combined ticket.
Choose the combined ticket only if you plan to spend most of a day here; otherwise pick the one half that interests you.
13. Wuxi Zoo
Wuxi Zoo is at No. 99 Qianrong Road in Binhu District, open 08:30–16:30, with tickets at ¥100. It is a landmark zoo and is suitable for playing with small children, with internal sightseeing buses and full facilities.
There are animal zoning guides inside, so you do not have to worry about getting lost. Arrive in the morning, since the gates close in the mid-afternoon.
14. Wuxi Sunac Land
Wuxi Sunac Land is a theme park in Binhu District, 150 metres south of the intersection of Yuanxi Road and Wuzhu Road, open 10:00–21:00 with tickets at ¥200. The internal roller coaster is 1,278 metres long and reaches a top speed of 118 km/h.
There is a parking lot in the scenic area, and as well as taking a taxi you can arrive by subway on Line 1.
15. Wuxi Sunac Sea World and Wuxi Hot Snow Miracle
Wuxi Sunac Sea World occupies the ground floor of Rongchuangmao at the same Yuanxi Road and Wuzhu Road intersection, open 10:00–18:00 with tickets at ¥150. It holds a great deal of marine life, and a second phase is planned to add more than 60 species across subjects including conical tooth sharks, bearded sharks, squids, stone crabs, bullnose rays and conger eels.
Wuxi Hot Snow Miracle is on the second floor of Rongchuangmao at No. 66, Rongchuang Culture & Tourism City, open 10:00–21:00 with tickets at ¥300. The snow facility has one beginner's trail, two intermediate trails and five magic carpets, with coaching services and snow gear rental; all the snow inside is artificial. You can reach it by bus 8 and then a 616-metre walk, or by taxi.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at Wuxi Huishan Ancient Town Scenic Area, arriving by Metro Line 4 to Huishan Ancient Town Station and Exit 6. Walk the free streets, then pay the ¥65 to go into Huishan Ancient Town - Yuchangyuan while the light is still soft. If you have time before lunch, continue to Xihui Park and Old Town and use the main ticket for the gardens and temples.
Afternoon: Head to Turtle Head Island (Yuantouzhu) to see Lake Tai from the peninsula, remembering that it closes at 16:30. If you would rather stay indoors or the weather turns, Wuxi Museum is free and open until 17:00 with no entry after 16:00, and it is closed on Mondays.
Evening: Finish at Nanchang Street, which is free and open around the clock, for the canal-side water town at its best after dark. If you still have energy and want a later stop, Nianhua Bay stays open until 22:00.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to see flowers in Wuxi?
Spring. Jin Gui Park is at its best from March to April for cherry blossoms and tulips, Turtle Head Island's cherry blossoms bloom from early March to April, and Xihui Park holds the Wuxi Flower - Rhododendron Festival exhibition from April to June every year.
Which sights in Wuxi are free?
Nanchang Street is free all year round apart from some amusement programmes, Wuxi Huishan Ancient Town Scenic Area has free admission, Wuxi Museum is free, and the old town pedestrian street at Xihui Park and Old Town is free, though the individual residences there cost extra, perhaps ¥10 each.
How do I get around Wuxi's main sights?
Wuxi has a metro, and several sights sit close to stations: Wuxi Museum is near Qingmingqiao Station on Line 1, Wuxi Huishan Ancient Town Scenic Area is about a two-minute walk from Exit 6 of Huishan Ancient Town Station on Line 4, and Wuxi Sunac Land can be reached on Line 1. Nianhua Bay is reached by taking the Le You Line 2 for five stops to Nianhua Bay Station, and Wuxi Hot Snow Miracle is reachable by bus 8 followed by a 616-metre walk. Taxis and self-driving are the other options the sources list for most sites.
Is the Grand Buddha at Ling Shan worth the ticket price?
A standard ticket is ¥210 and excludes the electric buses. The site was built only in 2008, so there is no history to find there; what you get is the statue, the musical fountain telling the story of the birth of the Buddha, and the Brahma palace. If you go, check whether the temple show ticket is included with your park fee, because it is short and partly video and not worth paying extra for.
Decide which of these fits your days, check the opening times that matter to you, and start building your Wuxi itinerary around the canal, the lake and the gardens.